Macaroni with Ham and Cheese Deluxe

Not your typical macaroni and cheese meal. Comfort food! A great dish to make using the leftover ham from a previous meal. Nice creamy texture with a tasty combination of onion, green pepper, and tomatoes. My family just loves it!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 453 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 6 ounces shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
• ¾ cup milk, or more as needed
• 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 cups cubed, fully cooked ham
• 4 ounces shredded hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 ounces shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
• 4 Italian plum tomatoes, cut into wedges

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and green bell pepper in melted butter until tender, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Stir cooked macaroni, ham, Monterey Jack cheese, hot pepper Jack cheese, and 2 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese into onion mixture until well blended.

Step 5

Gently stir milk into mixture until casserole is creamy, adding additional milk if needed.

Step 6

Stir tomato wedges into casserole. Top with 6 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese.

Step 7

Bake casserole in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and browned on top, about 20 minutes.